


wouldn't it be great to find a place we could escape sometime

by sugaplumvisions



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, natori is best/worst wingman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:33:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23208562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugaplumvisions/pseuds/sugaplumvisions
Summary: “You know about romance, right? You’re famous for being attractive and stuff," Natsume says.“I mean, yes?” Natori asks. “What do you want to know?”“Help me flirt with Tanuma!”
Relationships: Natsume Takashi/Tanuma Kaname
Comments: 2
Kudos: 82





	wouldn't it be great to find a place we could escape sometime

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KIAlives](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KIAlives/gifts).



> Kia!!!!! Love you! I hope you like it!!! <3

“Natori, you have to help me,” Natsume says. “Please!” 

“I’ve never been one to deny you when you need me,” Natori says. “What’s going on?” 

“You know about romance, right? You’re famous for being attractive and stuff.” 

“I mean, yes?” Natori asks. “What do you want to know?” 

“Help me flirt with Tanuma!” Natsume asks. 

“Help you...with Tanuma?” Natori asks, cocking his head to one side. 

“Please don’t get weird just because he’s a boy,” Natsume says. 

“What? Is he giving you grief?” Nyanko-sensei says from Natsume’s shoulder. “I’ll eat him!” 

“I’m not giving him grief,” Natori says. “And I was going to be giving  _ you _ sushi.” 

Nyanko-sensei perks right up at the mention of sushi, bouncing off to see if he could get into Natori’s refrigerator. 

“Natsume, of course I don’t care,” Natori says. “You may have seen it in one or two tabloids, but I’m bisexual.” 

“Really?” Natsume asks. 

“No, I just made it up to screw with you.  _ Yes, _ Natsume, I’m bi.” 

“Do you know how to flirt with men, then?” Natsume says. 

“Buy him things. Take him out to dinner--maybe see if Touko-san will make you a picnic? Pay attention to what he does with his time. Tell him things you don’t tell anybody else. If all else fails, tell him you like him,” Natori says. 

Natsume’s face flames red. “I can’t tell him outright!” 

“That’s between you and him,” Natori says, a slight smile on his face. 

“You really think this will work?” 

“No promises, but it’s how I got my last boyfriend,” Natori says. 

“You didn’t introduce me to your boyfriend?” Natsume asks. 

Natori shrugs again. “We didn’t work out. And it was super secret because I was ‘dating’ my co-star at the time.” He raises his fingers to do the air quotes. “Not dating-dating. Nobody was under that illusion. Just for the public.” 

“Still, I would have liked to have met him.” 

“Noted for future reference,” Natori says. “Now, call your man and set up some time to spend together. I’ll help you the whole time.” 

#####

Tanuma is surprised but pleased when Natsume’s name lights up on his phone. They hadn’t planned on calling that night, but Natsume was always a welcome pleasure. 

“Tanuma?” Natsume says when he picks up the phone. 

“Natsume! Hi!” 

“Would you like to go on a picnic with me after school on Thursday?” Natsume asks. “Touko-san will be cooking for both of us; you know how she loves you.” 

Tanuma’s brain short-circuits for a moment. Was this a date? No, of course not. It was just a weirdly formal way of asking to do something they did together all the time. 

“I’d love that,” Tanuma says, and though part of him aches for more, he really does mean it. When it comes to Natsume, he’ll take what he can get. 

He hears...whispering? In the background. 

“Natsume? Is someone there?” 

“Just Nyanko-sensei,” Natsume says, a little awkwardly.

“Tell him I said hi!” Tanuma says. 

“I will,” Natsume says. 

The call ends naturally, and Tanuma is left wondering why Natsume couldn’t just ask him at school tomorrow. Not that it wasn’t great to hear his voice, but it was a little strange of him to call for plans like that. Usually when they called it was Natsume telling stories about the yokai he’d encountered, or Tanuma helping him through his math homework. 

This was weird. Maybe it was flirting? No, it couldn’t be.

######

“I went to see Kai last night,” Natsume says as he and Tanuma walk home from school.

“And you didn’t ask me?” Tanuma asks. 

Natsume shrugs. “I didn’t know if you’d have time to go. I know you usually spend Wednesdays studying, and I didn’t want to get you into trouble or mess up your grades.” 

“I mean, you didn’t have to ask me,” Tanuma says, backpedaling. “I just miss him too. But thank you for thinking of me.” 

“Of course!” Natsume says. His fingers brush against Tanuma’s as they walk, and the boys’ cheeks both color. 

“Thank you for asking me on this picnic too,” Tanuma says. 

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Natsume says. “Touko-san did all the work. And the middle-grades told me about the meadow that we’re headed to.” 

“Still,” Tanuma says, “I mean it.” He wonders after he speaks if it’s too heartfelt, but he looks over and Natsume just has on the small smile that means he’s well and truly pleased. 

“How was class today?” Tanuma asks, after a period of silence, scrambling to move on from his awkwardness. 

“Got hit in the head with chalk for napping,” Natsume says. 

“Late-night yokai, or all that hiking yesterday?” Tanuma asks. 

“Honestly? Both,” Natsume says. 

“Are you sure you should be hiking more?” Tanuma asks. This meadow was certainly a trek. 

“No, look, you’re going to love it. It’s worth it when I’m with you.” 

Tanuma flushes. “Well, if you want you can nap when we get there. I’ll watch over you.” 

“Thank you,” Natsume says, and it sounds heartfelt. His face lights up a moment later. “Look! We’re here!” 

He points off to where the meadow ends in a cliff, with a waterfall on an opposing cliff, and flowers blossoming around it. 

“It’s beautiful, Natsume.” It’s not what he wants to say. He wants to say Natsume is beautiful, but he says what he can

They make small talk as they eat, Tanuma complaining about homework and them both commiserating over college exams coming up soon. They begin planning a shrine visit. Those always seem to go strangely when it’s the two of them, but it still seems like the thing to do. 

When they finish Touko’s bento, Natsume smiles at Tanuma. “I may take you up on that nap now.” 

Natsume curls up on one side, face towards Tanuma, and in short order falls asleep. 

Tanuma looks down at his sleeping form, at the way that Natsume huffs softly in his sleep and curls in against him, and realizes that he’s not sure he’s ever felt quite like this in his life. 

This isn’t just a schoolboy crush. He’s in love with Natsume Takashi.

#####

Tanuma hesitantly dials Natori’s number. Natori had given it to him after their run-in with Omibashira, in case Tanuma or Natsume got into any trouble that they couldn’t handle, and they’d been talking some, mostly about how to become an exorcist and what it was like. Tanuma wasn’t sure yet, but he’d been thinking about trying to become an exorcist after college. He thought about a lot of things, though. Like getting fake glasses, or growing out his hair. Right now he was thinking about only one thing: Natsume. 

“Natori, I need help,” Tanuma says. 

“What’s going on? I’ll be right there,” Natori says. 

“No, no, it’s not like that,” Tanuma says. “I, um…” 

“Spit it out,” Natori says. 

“I’m in love with Natsume.” 

“You’ve got a crush on my boy?” Natori asks. 

“Um...yes?” Tanuma says, not entirely sure what to say next. He can only hope that he gets Natori’s approval. “Though, more. I’m in love with him, really.” 

“Oh, this is  _ brilliant _ ,” Natori says. Tanuma can hear the grin in his voice. “Tell you what, I’ll set us up a fancy dinner, and then bail at the last minute. You can use my credit card to pay.” 

“I...certainly didn’t expect that,” Tanuma says. 

“He just needs a nudge in the right direction,” Natori says. “I promise it’ll be easier than you think. I’ll email you the details once I have them sorted out.” 

“Thank you?” Tanuma says, feeling swept along by the tide of Natori’s thoughts. 

“I’ve got to go now,” Natori says. “I’ve got a scene in twenty and they need to touch up my makeup.” 

“I didn’t mean to bother you on set!” Tanuma says. 

“Don’t worry about it. I was just sitting around waiting for them to do something.” 

“Well, it was nice talking to you, and you really don’t have to spend your money on--” 

“Let me do something nice for my favorite kids,” Natori says. 

Tanuma hesitantly smiles. “Okay,” he says. “Thank you.” 

#####

Natsume has never been this dressed up before. Touko-san had fussed over him, straightening his collar, and Shigeru-san had showed him how to tie his tie. 

They’d both talked about how lucky it was that they’d gotten him a suit. He, personally, felt mostly very stiff, but he had to look good for dinner with Natori and, more relevantly, Tanuma. 

Natsume got to the restaurant first, probably because Touko-san had insisted that he leave half an hour early so that he wouldn’t be late. He waited outside for about fifteen minutes until Tanuma showed up. 

He has to stifle a gasp when Tanuma arrives. He’s wearing a suit too, a deep navy with a royal blue tie, his hair slicked back. He looks gorgeous. 

“You look nice,” Tanuma says shyly. 

“Thank you,” Natsume says. “You look really good.” 

Tanuma ducks his head and smiles. “Thank you. Um, I’m really glad to be having dinner with you.” 

“I’m glad too,” Natsume says, and lays a hand on his shoulder. The point of contact is electric between them. 

Natori rolls up in a big black car a few moments later. 

“I’m sorry, kids,” he says, “But I just got called out to take care of a really nasty yokai. Here, take my card?” he says, holding a credit card out the window. 

“Natori, you don’t have to--” Natsume begins. 

“Let me be nice!” Natori says. “Don’t let me ruin your night; you both look very handsome.” 

The compliment is nice coming from Natori, but not nearly as nice as it was coming from Tanuma. 

“Natori, party of three?” Tanuma says once they’re inside. “Well, two now. Natori had to cancel, but we’re still here.” 

“Oh, yes!” the hostess says. “I’ll take you right back!” 

They sit down and look at the menus. 

“This is expensive,” Natsume says. 

“Don’t worry,” Tanuma says.”It’s on Natori.” 

“I feel bad about it.” 

“Yeah, me too, but he insisted.” Tanuma shrugs. “What can I do?” 

“Everything looks amazing, though,” Natsume says. “What are you leaning towards?” 

“I was looking at the steak,” Tanuma says. 

“That sounds good,” Natsume says. “I was looking at the omakase sushi.” 

“Oh, that also sounds delicious,” Tanuma says. 

“If you like, we could split?” Natsume suggests. 

Tanuma smiles. “That sounds nice.” 

The waitress comes by and they order their food, brimming with excitement at trying the fancy cuisine. 

“You really do look nice,” Natsume says once their order has been taken, summoning up the courage to say so. 

“You do too,” Tanuma says. “I didn’t know you had a suit. Not that--I don’t think that you shouldn’t, or anything, and I am sure you didn’t know that I had one, it’s just...You look really nice in it.” 

“Shigeru-san insisted that every young man needs a proper suit,” Natsume says, avoiding the compliments in favor of more familiar territory. 

“Well he was right,” Tanuma says. 

Natsume smiles. It’s hesitant, but there. 

“Not that you don’t look good always,” Tanuma says. “You just clean up nice.” 

“You clean up nice too,” Natsume says. 

Tanuma smiles. 

They talk a bit more, about how their days had been. Natsume tells a long-involved story about his latest escapade with yokai, then says “Oh, sorry! Have I been talking too much?” 

“You haven’t!” Tanuma says instantly. “I like listening to you!” 

Their food gets there then, the waitress delivering it with a smile. 

“Here, you take half,” Tanuma says, cutting his steak in half and dividing his vegetables. 

“You take half the rolls,” Natsume says. 

It’s daring, involving Tanuma reaching into his personal space to grab the sushi rolls, but it’s a risk he’s willing to take. One he wants to take. 

They eat in relative quiet, except for telling each other when they’d found a particularly good morsel. 

Once they finish, the server comes by to refill their glasses. 

“I’m ready to pay,” Tanuma asks, holding out Natori’s card. 

“Just one minute,” says the server. “I’ll be right out with dessert.” 

“Dessert?” Tanuma asks. “We didn’t order dessert.” 

“Mr. Natori ordered it for the two of you. He was very adamant about it,” the server says. 

He brings out a beautiful chocolate-frosted cake, with yellow icing on the top reading “Just Date Already.” 

Natsume flushes a deep red. 

Tanuma facepalms. “Natori, king of subtlety.”

“What do you mean?” 

Tanuma takes a deep breath. “Okay, so! I like you, Natsume. I like you a lot. I didn’t want to bother you with it but I thought maybe after the picnic that you liked me too, so I asked Natori for advice, and he set us up on this--” 

“Wait, wait a second,” Natsume says, heart racing. “You asked Natori for advice too?” 

“Too?” Tanuma says, looking at Natsume in confusion. 

“I asked Natori for advice on flirting with you,” Natsume says. 

“Why do you need advice flirting with me?” Tanuma asks. 

“Because I like you!” Natsume says. “I think I always have, but college is coming up and I don’t want you to leave me alone. I want to go together. I want to adopt a cat who’s not a yokai! I want to be domestic with you.” 

Tanuma stares at him, dumbstruck.

“Please say something,” Natsume says. “I’m sorry if I--” 

“I love you,” Tanuma says. 

“Oh,” Natsume says. “Well, that’s good.” 

“Yeah,” Tanuma says. 

“I love you too,” Natsume says, finally. 

“Natori...may have something to his methods,” Tanuma admits. 

“Maybe so,” Natsume says. 

He reaches for Tanuma’s hand and squeezes. 

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from Jackie and Wilson by Hozier! Thanks forever to Adri and Kou; I love you both so much!


End file.
